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Democratic challenger Tom Wolf leads Gov. Tom Corbett (R) by 17 percentage points among likely voters in Pennsylvania – 55 percent to 38 percent – as the campaign enters its final month, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released Tuesday.

The survey shows a slight improvement for Corbett compared to the last Quinnipiac Poll of the race Sept. 11, when Wolf led 59 percent to 35 percent among likely voters.

Robert Morris University Polling Institute found 54.6 percent of voters say the Sandusky case would not affect their vote, according to an online survey sponsored by Trib Total Media. Almost 27 percent say Corbett’s handling of the investigation makes them less likely to support his re-election, and 12 percent say it makes them more likely to vote for Corbett.

The mayors-elect came to office by various routes and campaigned on issues specific to their cities, but once in office they will face common problems with a shrinking tax base, greater demand for municipal services and the skyrocketing cost of unfunded pension obligations for municipal employees.

It could help matters that new elected spokesmen for cities will be on the scene while state lawmakers consider a wave of legislation to help municipalities address financial problems.

The Point Breeze Democrat cruised to victory in the Pittsburgh mayoral race, officially earning the “mayor-elect” title he sought twice before and then avoided during the five months since his convincing Democratic primary win.

Peduto won 84 percent of the vote on Tuesday with 96.8 percent of precincts reporting, walloping two challengers who barely put up a fight. His 35,000 votes topped the 28,600 Mayor Luke Ravenstahl won in the last mayor’s race, in 2009.

Republican Scranton mayor nominee Jim Mulligan has conceded defeat as Democratic city Tax Collector Bill Courtright won the right to run the city the next four years with a strong victory in the hotly fought contest.

“We’ve got to fix this city,” Mr. Courtright said from a stage in his downtown headquarters. “You know I’m humbled that the people of this city have once again voted for me and had the faith and trust in me and I’m thankful for that.”

With 41 of 48 city precincts reporting, Mr. Courtright, a Democrat, had 7,646 votes, or 57.4 percent to Republican nominee Jim Mulligan’s 5,866 votes, or 43.1 percent. The rest are write-in votes.

Editor’s note: Delusional to the bitter end, Missy Mayor told the Mercury “the perception of crime in the borough is often greater than actual incidents suggest.” Numbers don’t lie and neither do drug baggies all over the sidewalks in the core neighborhood. Bye Bonnie. We won’t miss you!

POTTSTOWN, PA — Republican Sharon Thomas won back the mayor’s post Tuesday, reversing her loss to Democrat Bonnie Heath four years ago and taking back the post by a decisive 233-vote margin.

Thomas has said her race would depend on the effectiveness of a “grassroots” effort and she said Tuesday night with the smile in her voice that those roots had “passed the test. We recruited people quickly and taught them what they needed to know,” she said.

Thomas declined to attribute any particular satisfaction to defeating the candidate who had defeated her. (And there’s another difference between Sharon and Bonnie)

Editor’s note: At least there are two new faces on council! We also read that Missy Mayor lost to Sharon Thomas. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus :)

POTTSTOWN, PA — Borough council will swear in two new members as a result of Tuesday’s election that will leave council with only one Republican member.

In the Third Ward race, Democratic challenger Sheryl Miller ousted incumbent Republican Jeff Chomnuk by a slim unofficial 13-vote margin, according to unofficial results posted on the Montgomery County voter services website.

However, in the Seventh Ward, incumbent Democrat Joe Kirkland successfully defended his seat for a second time against Republican challenger Cindy Conard, winning by a 77-vote margin, according to unofficial results.

Election Day is Tuesday, and there will be a meaningful showdown on the ballot, no matter where you live.

The races that will appear on your ballot this week are very important, and the result will arguably have a greater impact on your life than the choosing of the governor, a senator or even a member of the House of Representatives.

Joyce McKinley, director of the Centre County Office of Elections, noted that just 12 percent of county voters cast ballots in the primary.

“We’d like to see a decent turnout,” she said. “We certainly expect to see better turnout than in the spring, but that was disastrous.”

POTTSTOWN, PA — There may be some hiccups at the polls Tuesday in the borough.

Two polling places in the First Ward — Invictus Ministries Inc. at North Hanover and Chestnut streets, and the Pottstown campus of Montgomery County Community College — have no personnel to work the polls.

Mark Lawler, judge of elections in the Fifth Ward, said election officials have been unable to contact those who have done it in the past, or that those who have done it in the past are unavailable.

“We need a judge of elections, which pays $110 for the day, and majority clerk and minority clerk, which each pay $90 a day, for both 2-1 at Invictus and 2-2 at the college,” Lawler said.

Editor’s note: We here at Roy’s Rants are endorsing Cindy Conard. We had the opportunity to meet Cindy a few weeks ago when we toured 716 Adams street (a disgusting rental property in 7th Ward) along with Cindy, her husband and some other civic minded folks. Mr. Kirkland was not in attendance. He was contacted, responded after four days and was more concerned about who the tenant told her story to rather than helping solve her problem.

Mr. Kirkland has had four years to do something to distinguish himself from the pack. I am still waiting to see some actual leadership. As for his being a strictly door-to-door person…why was Dan Weand going door-to-door for you, Joe? Seems like that should be something you would do for yourself. You won’t be losing 40 pounds again that way. I must say many of Mr. Kirkland’s quotes in the article made me chuckle.

We think Pottstown could indeed benefit from some leadership before it turns into Camden or Chester.

Having attended several council meetings, Conard said she feels Pottstown needs to find a way to engage in a more constructive way with borough council.

“People interact with Pottstown when they have an issue,” she said. But council needs to find the leadership to bring the town together in a “shared vision, you know, what we want to be when we grow up.”

Conard is a senior manager of quality assurance with Altria.

“I’m not a politician, but I do believe that Pottstown could benefit from some leadership,” she said.

We would like to extend our most sincere congratulations to Judyth Zahora, Andrew Kefer and Mary-Beth Lydon for each winning a seat on the Pottstown School Board! The Friends of Pottstown Public Education candidates ran as a block and they will help return the voice of reason to the Pottstown School Board.

Judy, Mary-Beth and Andrew will join Robert Hartman and Polly Weand in keeping Mr. Hylton’s ego and spending in check! Had Mr. Hylton’s hand-picked candidates won, it would have given Mr. Hylton carte blanche on the renovations, which Pottstown taxpayers cannot afford!

Many thanks to the Pottstown voters who turned out today and exercised their right to vote in a free election, as guaranteed by our constitution.

Friends of Pottstown Education is a team of Pottstown residents seeking election to the Pottstown School Board. We recognize that public education is only successful when schools, parents, teachers and the community work together.

Our philosophy is simple – you don’t dictate. You listen, evaluate and then make a decision. With your support of our campaign, together we can help ensure the Pottstown School Board is making children their first priority.

We can make sure that good teachers are fairly paid and poor teachers are replaced.

We can demand that our schools are safe for teachers and children.

We can insist that schools have the tools needed to give children their best.

We need people on the Pottstown School Board who understand education and governing.

We must make sure that the taxpayers, parents and children of Pottstown continue to have a strong voice.

Ah, the smell of napalm is in the air once again as Election Day is just around the corner. Our friends at Save Pottstown have come out of semi-retirement to shed some light on the self-proclaimed “most powerful man in Pottstown” and his election antics campaign. Look for those glossy mailers to start trashing up your mailboxes soon! If nothing else, they make lovely bird-cage liners or table crumbers.

To read Save Pottstown’s revealing look at Mr. Hylton aka the PAC man’s finances and get a few yucks at their verbiage, click on the link below:

If you didn’t vote there is still time. The polls are open until 8 pm EST here in Pennsylvania. There are important races that could impact your future on the line today! If you don’t vote, don’t complain…

If you live in Pottstown SD (4 seats open) or Owen J Roberts SD (6 seats open) I hope you vote. These elections will impact your wallet depending on who gets elected and what course of action each district will take as a result.

Four Pottstown Borough Council seats and Pottstown Mayor are up for grabs. Again, if you don’t like the way things are going now is your chance to vote for change. We need more people on Council who will move Pottstown forward!

The polls are open from 7 am until 8 pm tomorrow (Tuesday, November 3rd). If you are not sure where to vote, you can go to the Pottstown Borough website, for example, and find out. Pottstown lists polling places under About Pottstown, Voting Locations on their website: